For My Mom
by agentbreezy
Summary: Another year at Hogwarts, another year of fruitless searching for clues that point to her mother's killer. She only really agreed to go to Hogwarts when the letters came because, magic, well magic had to give her some answers. But then an annoying boy with warm brown hair arrives and she gets a bit distracted from her mission, but she's starting not to mind.


Don't own Hogwarts or anything in the wizarding world and I don't own any of the Castle characters.

Hope you guys enjoy, it's been a while since I've read the HP books so forgive me if anything's wrong!

Please let me know what you think!

AB

* * *

**ONE: RICHARD CASTLE COMES TO HOGWARTS**

The first time Kate Beckett sees Richard Castle is the first of many more times to come.

He's strikingly handsome, but he's got that bit of overconfident swagger in his walk that immediately puts Beckett off. His warm brown hair is gelled- not in an overly unattractive way, except when he does this stupid flip with it when he catches a blonde staring at him.

He's swarmed by girls- of course- but also guys, firing off questions at him, "How big is your house?", "Who do you know that's famous?" "How did you get in here?"

Because it's not normal for Hogwarts to take transfers.

In fact, it hasn't happened ever.

"Hello? Heh-_lo_?" Lanie asks, causing Beckett to shift her eyes quickly back to her studying.

"What are you- _oh hello_," Lanie whispers, finally turning her head around to the newcomer. "Mm mm mm I can see why you were staring."

"I wasn't staring," Kate mutters, keeping her eyes glued to the page she has open on her lap but not really comprehending anything.

"Mmhm okay girl," Lanie says, patting her leg. Kate swats at it with a grim face and Lanie can tell she's not in the mood for teasing. _But when is she ever? _Lanie thinks with a frown.

She turns back to the big huddle of Gryffindors when she hears Ryan's voice ring out over everyone else's, "I'm sure Castle will be up for your questions in the morning after a good night's sleep. Which would do you all well too."

Everyone gets the message, a Prefect is telling them to go to bed, so they comply, moving to the stairwells, and Lanie sees Javier throw his arm around Castle as they mount the stairs, gesturing with his free hand in that way of his as he says something to Castle animatedly. Lanie shakes her head, _any chance for fame with that boy_, and gathers up her books.

"You comin' up Becks?"

Kate doesn't look up, "Mm yeah in a bit," she mumbles, and Lanie deliberates staying with her friend for a few seconds but finally turns on her heel and heads for the stairs, figuring her friend might want to be alone.

* * *

Kate almost slept in a big cozy chair of the common room if not for Ryan coming down to check on her.

"C'mon Beckett," he said, shaking her gently awake, "time for bed."

Kate jolted upright, almost knocking Ryan in the head.

"Oh! Hey, sorry," she muttered, closing the book on her lap and gathering it up in her arms.

That was when she noticed the boy from earlier sitting in front of the fire.

"What're you doing up so late?" she asked before thinking. He had been

watching Ryan and Beckett's interaction.

"Just came down to have some time alone," he answered with a charming smile.

_Oh yeah, cause you need it, don'tcha. With all those girls swarming around-_

"I'm Kevin Ryan," Ryan said, advancing to shake Castle's hand.

"Rick Castle."

"Well, I'm off to bed, just came down to-" he cut off abruptly upon catching sight of a red blush creeping up Kate's neck, "walk off a nightmare," he said, grimacing at the poor excuse.

Castle nodded with a small smile, not calling the boy out.

"How'd you get in?" Kate asked when Ryan was out of the room, silently chastising herself for speaking again. She didn't like this boy.

"Um, to Hogwarts you mean?"

"Yeah," she bit her lip at the boy's dimness.

She didn't realize it was actually nervousness.

"My mom's kinda good friends with Dumbledore," Castle said, his hand going to the back of his neck. Kate fought the urge to roll her eyes in annoyance. She also bit her tongue when the urge to ask how long Castle had been sitting in the common room came over her.

"So, uh- I don't think I caught your name..."

"Didn't give it," Kate winced internally at the harshness in her tone, ad softened it consciously when she answered, "Beckett. Kate Beckett."

Castle reached out his hand for a shake and Kate took it, shaking firmly. She wanted this boy to know her strength.

"Until tomorrow, Kate."

"Um, night," Kate navigated her way to the girls' stairwell and chanced a look back at the boy. He wasn't looking after her but staring into the few dying embers of the fire with his hands together in a sort of teepee and fingertips touching his lips. He appeared to be in deep thought about something.

* * *

Can't you just see Martha and Dumbledore getting along? Haha. This is gonna be fun to write.


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